Peterson Paletta Balice

Do I Need an Estate Planning Attorney?

Grand Rapids & Ionia Attorneys

Estate Planning Attorney Ionia Grand Rapids

While it may be tempting to write your own will, you’re better off hiring an attorney. Our estate planning attorneys in Grand Rapids and Ionia, MI, will make sure that you leave nothing up to chance. By hiring an estate planning attorney, you’ll also be able to enjoy the peace of mind that comes with knowing all of your bases are covered.

There’s much more to estate planning than your last will and testament. For this reason, we recommend consulting with a legal expert.

An estate planning attorney can help you with:

  • Living trusts (revocable and irrevocable)
  • Wealth transfer plan
  • A general durable power of attorney
  • Living wills and health care directives
  • Probate avoidance
  • And more!

Here’s what you need to know about estate planning in Michigan. We’ll also explain why it’s always a good idea to hire an estate attorney to help you better prepare for the future.

Estate Planning Involves More Than a Will

It’s important to remember that an estate planning checklist requires much more than a will. For example, do you want to leave instructions for end-of-life medical care? If so, you’ll want to check into living wills and other advance directives.

Always choose an attorney with experience in elder law. That way, they’ll be able to provide the guidance and documents you need for your situation.

Your Estate Planning Documents Must Be Legally Sound

Who else knows better than an elder law attorney how to write legally-sound estate plans?

Your estate plan will determine how your assets and properties are distributed to beneficiaries. A probate court judge will determine if your estate plan meets your state’s legal requirements.

To make sure a judge authenticates your estate plans, you’ll want to hire an experienced attorney.

Your Plans May Change

Life has a habit of changing our goals and expectations. For example, it may have originally been your dream to travel during retirement. But these plans can quickly unravel when you break a hip or are diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease.

We understand wanting to be optimistic about the future. But it’s also important that you have estate plans ready for the worst-case scenario. For example, estate planning can help you protect assets from nursing home spend-downs. You may also be able to use estate planning to prevent inheritance disputes.

Lawyers are Impartial

Your estate planning attorney is a stranger. This will make it easy for them to be neutral about the people in your life. For example, you may love your teenage grandson. But it may not be wise to grant him complete access to his inheritance right away.

An attorney can help you remain impartial during the estate planning process.

Hire an Estate Planning Attorney

In the end, it’s important that you have an attorney who’s on your side. Estate planning involves many crucial decisions that will impact your future. It’s best to hire an attorney with the proper experience in estate planning.

Estate planning is a difficult but necessary process to ensure your family’s peace of mind. Our lawyers can help you throughout the entire process, from start to finish.

Our estate planning lawyers in Grand Rapids and Ionia are proud to serve West Michigan. To request a legal consultation, contact Peterson Paletta Balice today. We’d be more than happy to help you with your estate planning documents.

This blog post has been updated.

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